Idiops mettupalayam Gupta, Ganeshkumar, Das & Siliwal, 2013, sp. nov.

Idiops mettupalayam sp. nov. Ganeshkumar and Siliwal

(Figs 3 A–H, Table 2)

Type specimens. Holotype male. INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, [11°32′28′′N & 76°83′43′′E], 29 May 2006, coll. M. Chandrasekaran (WILD-06-ARA-142).

Paratypes. INDIA: Tamil Nadu: 2 males, same data as holotype, 2 June 2006, (WILD-06-ARA-143, WILD- 06-ARA-144); male, same data as holotype, 30 May 2006 (WILD-06-ARA-145).

Diagnosis. Males of Idiops mettupalayam sp. nov. resemble those of I. bombayensis and I. constructor in having a triangular spine on tibial spur on leg I (Fig. 3 E), but can be distinguished from those species by having mt I strongly incrassate for most of the length (Fig. 3 D) and leg I distinctly longer than leg IV (in I. bombayensis mt I is deeply incrassate in basal 3/4th with indistinct prolateral process; in I. joida, mt I is slender and lacks prolateral process; in I. constructor mt I is strongly incrassate in basal 3/4th and leg I and leg IV equal in length).

Etymology. The species epithet is a name in apposition from the type locality, Mettupalayam, located at the foothills of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu.

Description. Total length 8.53. Carapace 4.53 long, 3.70 wide; chelicerae 1.20 long; abdomen 4.00 long, 2.30 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 0.27 long, 0.10 wide; PLS, 0.27 basal, 0.47 middle, 0.33 distal; midwidths 0.40, 0.27, 0.20 respectively; 1.07 total length.

LEG I LEG II LEG III LEG IV PALP HT*= Holotype, PT= Paratypes Colour in alcohol. Carapace, leg I and palp reddish-brown, other legs yellowish-brown. Abdomen grayishbrown, pattern probably absent (as abdomen have shrunken, pattern not clear). AME encircled with black patch; black patches on caput and few irregular faint patches on rest of carapace.

Carapace (Fig. 3 A). Oval, smooth except for few scattered wart-like tubercles along sides of striae; few row of hairs along posterior striae; black patch on caput; fovea deep, procurved.

Eyes (Fig. 3 B). Eight in three rows, ALE situated far from AME on clypeal edge; posterior row procurved. Ocular group 1.00 long, 0.67 wide; MOQ almost square, 0.67 front and back width, 0.50 long. Diameter AME 0.28, PME 0.17, ALE 0.33, PLE 0.27; distance between ALE-AME 0.33, AME-AME 0.10, PME-PME 0.20, ALE- PLE 0.10, PLE-PME and ALE-ALE adjacent.

Maxillae. 1.20 long anteriorly, 1.47 long posteriorly, 0.67 wide; cuspules absent; anterior lobe distinct, sparsely covered with long and short black bristles.

Labium. 0.67 long, 0.60 wide, labiosternal groove shallow, slightly procurved, cuspules absent.

Chelicerae (Fig. 3 C). 8 promarginal teeth in single row (size gradually decreasing from anterior to posterior end) on sclerotized ridge and single big tooth on outer margin of row of promarginal teeth; rastellum strong, raised on high triangular mound, consist of 3 large and 8 small thick, spines with 8 spinules on dorso-prolateral edge; many normal pointed spines vertically face and up dorsally on chelicerae; two glabrous bands for length of dorsal surface of chelicerae.

Sternum. Broader between posterior coxae; yellowish-brown, elevated in centre, sloping laterally, covered with long black hair; row of long bristles on margins, posterior angle blunt but not separating coxae IV.

Sigilla. Posterior sigilla absent; anterior and median pairs not visible due to shrinking of sternum.

Legs. Leg I thicker than other legs; ti I inflated with pointed triangular spur facing upward on tubercle and small pointed process below tubercle (Figs 3 D–E); mt prolateraly incrassate 3/4th length, with distinct prolateral process at 1/4th from anterior end (Fig. 3 D); femorae and tibiae III clearly wider than others; metatarsi of all legs longer than tarsi. Legs cylindrical, covered with few scattered hair, bristles and few curved thick thorn-like spines. Two conspicuous glabrous bands for length of femora, patellae and tibiae (not very prominent on leg I). Leg formula 1423.

Spines. More on promarginal and retromarginal sides of legs and palp. I: pa, v=3; ti, v=11, p=1+2spur; mt, p=1, v=5, r=5; ta, p=4, r= 9. II: fe, d=7, p=2, r=3; pa, p=2, v=4; ti, p=4+broken, v=9, r=3; mt, p=5, v=10, r=3; ta, p=1, r= 6. III: fe, d=11; pa, p=14, d=7, r=2; ti, p=8, r=d=5, v=7; mt, p=6, v=8, r=6; ta, p=1, r= 3. IV: fe, d=8; pa, p=18, d=5 (many spinules p=110, d=25, r=12); ti, v=7, r=6; mt, v=7, r=2; ta, p=5. Palp: fe, d=4; ti, r=26; ta, d=6.

Trichobothria. Clavate absent; ta I, 12 long filiform in each of two zig-zag rows for length; ta II–III, 14 long filiform in 2 zig-zag rows for length; ta IV, 18 long filiform in basal two thirds; palp, 6 short filiform in centre of cymbium. Mt I, 5 short filiform in distal fourth; mt II–IV, 6–7 short filiform in distal fourth.

Leg coxae. Coxa I–IV sparsely covered with long and short black bristles, more towards lateral than in centre. Coxae III with central patch without hair or spinules, others sparsely covered with long and short bristles. Coxae IV clearly broader than others, anterior edge curved, sparsely covered long bristles.

Claws. Paired claw on leg I–III with unequal three teeth and leg IV with two unequal teeth; unpaired claw on all legs. Both claws (paired as well unpaired) on leg IV larger in size, well developed and prominent than on legs I–III. False claw tufts on each side of paired claws.

Scopulae. On all leg tarsi; ta I, few scopuliform hairs in distal half, ta II–IV entire.

Abdomen (Fig. 3 A). Grayish-brown covered with short and long black hair; cuticle appears leathery and slightly rough.

Spinnerets. PMS digitiform covered with brown hair; PLS covered with brown hair, apical segment domed.

Palp (Figs 3 F–H). Tarsi with two unequal lateral processes forming cavity on ventral. Median haematodocha extensive; embolus straight with distally twists about 90o; tip of embolus flat, wedge-like with central notch.

Remarks. Paratypes are like the holotype. The paratype specimens are alcohol dried up and therefore only leg morphometry is provided for paratype specimen WILD-06-ARA-144 (Table 2).

Natural history. This species was found in dry deciduous habitat, mostly dominated by bamboo. All the males were collected in pit-fall traps, during first monsoon showers. Efforts were made to find females but they could not be located; probably females make vertical burrow on the ground and therefore it was difficult to spot them. The soil was hard and red in colour.